No matter how much we're told that variety is the spice of life, at the end of the day most of us are creatures of habit.
We all have a daily routine that works for us, so we stick to it like glue. It's not because we aren't capable of rolling with the punches, it's because some of our habits make us feel comfortable.
For some it's having a cup of coffee every morning, and for others it's how they style their hair.
In Joan Irvine's case, she maintained the same weekly hair routine for nearly 40 years!
The 63-year-old would wake up at 5:30 a.m. every Wednesday, and spend four hours styling her hair into her signature 1950s-inspired beehive 'do.
Most of us understand that hairstyles are a way to express your identity, and it can be difficult to find one that works, so it's not hard to see why Joan kept hers the same for decades.
However, change is sometimes necessary, especially if an outdated hairstyle is actually interfering with your life.
Joan's grueling process involved washing her hair at the kitchen sink, spending 45 minutes under the dryer, using multiple brushes, four different types of rollers, a ton of hairspray, and dozens of hairpins to secure her locks for up to a week.
Joan was so stuck in her ways that she once canceled a vacation out of fear that the pins would set off the metal detectors at the airport.
Of course, most people would just remove the pins, but not Joan. Her hair is high up on her priority list, and this really frustrated her daughters, Cindy and Christine.
"My daughters were always after me to get a more modern look," Joan told The Post Star. "But it was easy for me to take care of ... I was content."
One day, the sisters had enough and decided to do something about their mom's hair.
According to Cindy and Christine, their mom's hairstyle was so impractical that she wouldn't let her head underwater while at the pool.
"If swimming high up was an Olympic sport, she would win the gold medal, definitely!" Cindy said.
Unable to convince their stubborn mother to get rid of the poof, Cindy and Christine turned to The Oprah Show for some help.
The sisters explained that their mom appears to be in a beauty rut that is not only reflected in her hairstyle, but in her wardrobe and makeup too. They admitted that her style is making her look much older than she really is.
"That beehive thing, it's gotta go!" Christine added.
Luckily, Oprah heard their pleas and put actress and stylist Victoria Principal to the task. Now that the media mogul was involved, Joan agreed to change her look.
"I felt like Cinderella," Joan said. "Oprah has these makeovers once a year and four of us were selected out of thousands...we felt very special."
Victoria and her team updated Joan's hairstyle and wardrobe so it could fit into the 21st century.
Neither her daughter nor Oprah could believe their eyes when they saw the new Joan.
Joan finally got her long-overdue makeover, and the results are incredible! Not only did the transformation make her look like she's 10 years younger, you can see her personality finally shine through.
Take a look!
Just look at that smile! Bet she felt really good seeing her new hair and clothes for the first time.
"It's like they took 10 years off her, it's incredible," said Christine. "She was always a beautiful woman, but seeing her look that much more beautiful was overwhelming....I think she has more confidence now."
When it came to her outfit, Victoria swapped Joan's usual denim for a white dress pant paired with a white top and a khaki blazer. She also ditched the bubblegum pink lipstick for a much more flattering shade.
"Your mom now looks like your sister!" the stylist told Christine and Cindy.
It's been a few while since Joan's style update, so Oprah followed up with her to see whether or not she had reverted back to her old style.
So did she or did she not? Let's find out!
Joan, who revealed to Oprah that she has since retired, still rocks the shorter, more stylish hairdo.
"When they cut my hair, they made sure it was something I could maintain on my own - and they gave me the formula for my new hair color so I can have it done at the salon," she told The Post Star.She added, "I'm keeping my hairpins as souvenirs. Sometimes I'll go to pin my hair up and it feels strange when it's not there."
Even after all this time, Joan still can't believe she built up the courage to go through with the makeover, but she's glad it happened.
While appearing on Oprah's Where Are They?, she explained that aside from not being instantly recognizable by people who knew her before the show, the makeover benefited her in a lot of ways.
She said that she is a lot more confident and saves "an awful lot of time" each week.
She's still swimming and it seems like she's no longer worried about getting her hair wet.
You can watch Joan's update in the video below.
If there's one thing we can learn from Joan's experience it is that changing up your hairstyle is one of the best ways to switch up your look and feel better without trying too hard.
Sure, with all the new hair trends cropping up, it can be really overwhelming trying to choose one that suits you best, but that's no excuse to keep the same 'do for decades.
There are a ton of styles to choose from, so go for one that frames your face well and is easily manageable. If your hair looks good, it will make you more confident and shave years off your face.
For some inspiration, here are seven haircuts that look stunning on older women no matter what.
How long have you had your current hairstyle for?
